< 撒母耳記上 26 >
1 西弗人到基比亞見掃羅,說:「大衛不是在曠野前的哈基拉山藏着嗎?」
The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David's hiding on the hill of Hakilah, opposite the wastelands.”
2 掃羅就起身,帶領以色列人中挑選的三千精兵下到西弗的曠野,要在那裏尋索大衛。
So Saul went to the Desert of Ziph along with three thousand specially-picked men from Israel to search for David there.
3 掃羅在曠野前的哈基拉山,在道路上安營。大衛住在曠野,聽說掃羅到曠野來追尋他,
Saul set up camp beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite the wastelands, near to where David was living in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come looking for him there,
he sent out spies and found out Saul had definitely arrived.
5 大衛起來,到掃羅安營的地方,看見掃羅和他的元帥尼珥的兒子押尼珥睡臥之處;掃羅睡在輜重營裏,百姓安營在他周圍。
One night David got up and went over to Saul's camp and saw where Saul was sleeping, along with Abner, son of Ner, the army commander. Saul was lying in the middle of the camp with his men all around him.
6 大衛對赫人亞希米勒和洗魯雅的兒子約押的兄弟亞比篩說:「誰同我下到掃羅營裏去?」亞比篩說:「我同你下去。」
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, “Who wants to go with me into the camp to Saul?” “I'll go with you,” Abishai replied.
7 於是大衛和亞比篩夜間到了百姓那裏,見掃羅睡在輜重營裏;他的槍在頭旁,插在地上。押尼珥和百姓睡在他周圍。
So David and Abishai went to the army camp at night. Saul was sleeping there in the camp with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and his men sleeping around him.
8 亞比篩對大衛說:「現在上帝將你的仇敵交在你手裏,求你容我拿槍將他刺透在地,一刺就成,不用再刺。」
Abishai said to David, “God has handed your enemy over to you today. So please let me spear him to the ground in one go. I won't need to do it twice!”
9 大衛對亞比篩說:「不可害死他。有誰伸手害耶和華的受膏者而無罪呢?」
But David said to Abishai, “No, don't kill him! Who can attack the Lord's anointed one and not be guilty of a crime?
10 大衛又說:「我指着永生的耶和華起誓,他或被耶和華擊打,或是死期到了,或是出戰陣亡;
As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will kill him. Either his time will come and he'll die, or he will go into battle and be killed.
11 我在耶和華面前,萬不敢伸手害耶和華的受膏者。現在你可以將他頭旁的槍和水瓶拿來,我們就走。」
May the Lord prevent me from attacking the Lord's anointed one. Just pick up the spear and water jug beside his head, and let's go.”
12 大衛從掃羅的頭旁拿了槍和水瓶,二人就走了,沒有人看見,沒有人知道,也沒有人醒起,都睡着了,因為耶和華使他們沉沉地睡了。
David took the spear and water jug beside Saul's head, and they left. Nobody saw anything; nobody knew what had happened; nobody woke up. Everybody stayed asleep, because the Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13 大衛過到那邊去,遠遠地站在山頂上,與他們相離甚遠。
Then David went back over to the other side, and stood on top of the hill far enough away—there was a considerable distance between them.
14 大衛呼叫百姓和尼珥的兒子押尼珥說:「押尼珥啊,你為何不答應呢?」押尼珥說:「你是誰?竟敢呼叫王呢?」
He shouted down to the army and Abner, son of Ner, “Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?” “Who is that shouting, disturbing the king?” Abner called back.
15 大衛對押尼珥說:「你不是個勇士嗎?以色列中誰能比你呢?民中有人進來要害死王-你的主,你為何沒有保護王-你的主呢?
David called to Abner, “Aren't you meant to be this great man? Is there anyone in Israel who is better than you? So why didn't you protect your master the king when someone came to kill him?
16 你這樣是不好的!我指着永生的耶和華起誓,你們都是該死的;因為沒有保護你們的主,就是耶和華的受膏者。現在你看看王頭旁的槍和水瓶在哪裏。」
You haven't done well at all. As the Lord lives, you all deserve to die, because you did not protect your master, the Lord's anointed. Take a look around. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were beside his head?”
17 掃羅聽出是大衛的聲音,就說:「我兒大衛,這是你的聲音嗎?」大衛說:「主-我的王啊,是我的聲音」;
Saul recognized David's voice and asked, “Is that you speaking, David, my son?” “Yes it's me, my lord and king,” David replied.
18 又說:「我做了甚麼?我手裏有甚麼惡事?我主竟追趕僕人呢?
“Why is my lord hunting me, his servant? What is it that I've done? What crime am I guilty of?” he continued.
19 求我主我王聽僕人的話:若是耶和華激發你攻擊我,願耶和華收納祭物;若是人激發你,願他在耶和華面前受咒詛;因為他現今趕逐我,不容我在耶和華的產業上有分,說:『你去事奉別神吧!』
“Please listen to me, my lord and king. If the Lord has made you angry with me, then may he be happy to accept an offering. But if it's men that have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! For all this while they've been driving me away from living among God's chosen people, telling me, ‘Go away and worship other gods.’
20 現在求王不要使我的血流在離耶和華遠的地方。以色列王出來是尋找一個虼蚤,如同人在山上獵取一個鷓鴣一般。」
Please don't let me die so far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come to chase down one little flea, hunting me like someone who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 掃羅說:「我有罪了!我兒大衛,你可以回來,因你今日看我的性命為寶貴;我必不再加害於你。我是糊塗人,大大錯了。」
“I've done wrong,” Saul replied, “Come back, David, my son. I won't ever try to harm you again, because you valued me and spared my life today. I've been so stupid! I've made a big mistake!”
22 大衛說:「王的槍在這裏,可以吩咐一個僕人過來拿去。
“I have the king's spear here,” said David. “Send one of your men over to collect it.
23 今日耶和華將王交在我手裏,我卻不肯伸手害耶和華的受膏者。耶和華必照各人的公義誠實報應他。
The Lord rewards all those who do what is right and who are trustworthy. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to harm the Lord's anointed one.
24 我今日重看你的性命,願耶和華也重看我的性命,並且拯救我脫離一切患難。」
In the same way as I valued your life today, may the Lord value my life, and may he rescue me from all my troubles.”
25 掃羅對大衛說:「我兒大衛,願你得福!你必做大事,也必得勝。」於是大衛起行,掃羅回他的本處去了。
Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish a great deal and always be successful.” David left, and Saul went back home.